April's choices were pretty easy. A new album from a band I know and love, some Japanese music I was sorely lacking, and an artist to get me pumped up.

Coheed and Cambria: The Father of Make Believe

I discovered Coheed and Cambria in college when a guy from my dorm showed them to me. We'd sing along to songs like Blood Red Summer while playing Halo in his room. Good times.

Since then, they've continued to make album after album of good music. Later in 2015 songs like Island made me cry a little when I realized what they were saying. 2022, The Liars Club comes out and instead of tears I was just so excited I couldn't sit down.

So of course when their latest album came out a month ago in March, it immediately went on my list of albums to buy. Epic music that occasionally triggers quite the emotional reaction. It's good stuff and I hope you listen to it.

Creepy Nuts: LEGION

I found Creepy Nuts because they made the opening song for an anime in 2023 I liked called Mashle. The anime is super goofy and their song matches the vibe perfectly.

This album is a perfect example also of why I'm moving off streaming. On Qobuz at least, their track Otonoke (made famous by being the opening song to the super popular anime Dan Da Dan) is not streamable. You can listen to every other track on this album except this one for some reason. Since I bought it though, I'm free to dance in my living room to this whenever I need to.

Glorilla: Ehhthang Ehhthang

If I'm going to get off streaming, I needed some Glorilla in my library. Blasting this album during house work or sometimes just waking up helps give me the energy I need to keep moving.

The story-telling in the track Opp Shit took me back to my childhood listening to Nate Dogg and Warren G as she raps about how she's sneaking around with someone from an enemy gang and worrying about him.

Her music is very body-positive, her tracks are littered with lines like: "Ho, don't be ashamed, show that cellulite".